Legacy
by Mandz
Summary: Van and Raven's final showdown is just the beginning... *Damn my screwy chapters!* *CH. 2*
1. Madra Alisi Flyheight

Legacy  
  
By Mandz  
  
First Fanfic!!! This is totally AU, Chaotic Century/New Century crossover. Had the idea   
for awhile, never had the guts to post it. If you don't like some of your favourite   
characters kicking the bucket, then bugger off.   
  
BTW, Madra belongs to me. You want to use her in a fic, you ask and I'll more than   
likely let you use her.  
  
Disclaimer: That damn Prozac is turning me into a decent human being, and they said   
there'd be no harmful side-effects. J/K Yes, I own Zoids. I am the genius behind Chaotic   
Century and New Century, and if you tried to sue me my team of highly expensive   
lawyers * gestures to team of very boring and serious looking people in suits * will take   
you down to Chinatown.   
  
'Thoughts'  
"Speech"  
(My insane ramblings)  
  
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"There, it's done."  
  
Van Flyheight turned off the Blade Liger's recording device and sighed. It was only   
hours till Raven's rumoured attack on the supply base the Guardian Force was currently   
staying at, and whispers were running wild that the Zoid hater himself had a new unit,   
another evolution of the Geno-Breaker that's far more powerful than anything they had   
ever seen. The raw attack power had been seen first-hand by a handful of surviving   
villagers from a town he had struck a few weeks back, the town that Irvine and Moonbay   
were staying in on the way to the base. Sadly, The mercenary and the trucker were not   
counted among the living.  
  
Van jumped down from Liger's cockpit and Fiona handed her newborn daughter over to   
her husband, cradling her in a soft blue blanket. They had named her Madra Alisi   
Flyheight, christened after Zi's smallest moon.   
  
"So, I take it your recording went well?" Fiona asked as Van carefully took Madra from   
her.  
  
"Yeah, I just hope the Blade Liger survives the battle. It would be so much easier if   
Moonbay and Irvine were still alive, they could of taken care of Madra, but now we have   
to rely on that witch and hope that she comes through on her end of the bargain[1]"Van   
sighed again and looked sadly at the sleeping child in his arms, instinctively holding her   
tighter. "I hope Madra will find the Blade Liger in the future."   
  
Fiona nodded and looked up at the stars that dotted the pitch black sky. It was a beautiful   
night, one she would rather spend with Van and her daughter than fight for her life with   
Raven.   
~*~  
"Hello Van, Fiona"  
  
Reese and the blue organoid Specular shimmered into view beside Fiona.  
  
"Reese."   
  
The Blue Devil smiled. "I'm here for the girl."  
  
"Her name is Madra, and you had better not let any harm come to her, or so help me-"  
  
"Temper, temper Van. You saved my life, I save the life of your daughter. Though I still   
don't understand why you want me to send her to the future.[2] seems such a waste."  
  
"A deal's a deal, Reese. You take her to the future and make sure she's safe with another   
family," Fiona pleaded.  
  
Reese closed her eyes and bowed her head. "I know, Fiona. No harm will befall your   
child."  
  
"Her name is Madra," Van grumbled.  
  
Suddenly, loud sirens sounded and alert lights flashed around the base.   
  
"Van sir! Raven has arrived!" A soldier yelled over the noise.  
  
"Damn," muttered Van as he quickly handed Madra to Fiona, kissing them both on the   
cheek. "Mobilize Zeke!"  
  
The silver organoid growled deep inside the Liger, briefly engulfing the Zoid in blinding   
white light.  
  
"C'mon Fiona! We gotta go! Reese, take care of my daughter!"   
  
Fiona carefully handed Madra over to the blue-haired manipulator. "Goodbye my   
beautiful little girl. I hope you find out who you really are someday."   
Fiona touched Madra's cheek and sighed, turning away and sprinting to the Blade Liger,   
totally missing the small smile that graced Reese's lips before she shimmered away.  
~*~  
"Ha, Van's still got that outdated Blade Liger. You'd think he'd learn that he's no match   
for me in that pile of junk," Raven chuckled evilly to himself, Shadow roaring in   
agreement from deep within the zoidcore. The new Geno-Breaker's evolution required   
Shadow to permanately be taken into the core, a risk Raven was more than willing to   
take.  
  
"I wouldn't celebrate just yet, Raven. They surprised you last time."  
  
"I don't care Reese. I didn't have this zoid last time," Raven retorted, nodding at the   
control panel of the white tyrannosaurus-like unit as Reese shimmered into the seat   
behind him, still cradling Madra. Raven glanced behind him. "I see you still have Van's   
spawn. Shall we kill it now?"  
  
"No. I'm taking her to the future with me and our son."  
  
"Hmph. You and your stupid promises. At least give Vega a few years head start. An age   
advantage might give him an edge when it comes to the final battle," Raven smirked.   
"You told me that both Van and myself will die in this battle, so our children will finish it   
once and for all. Where is Vega anyway?"  
  
"Already in the future. I left him in the care of a organization called the Backdraft   
group."  
  
"Are you sure that's wise."  
  
"Of course. I'll be joining him in moments, after I drop off the little one. If my   
calculations are right, Vega will be nine when I 'meet' him as Sarah. Just make sure your   
Zoid is locked away after the battle."  
  
"Yeah yeah, I know."  
  
Raven's control panel beeped as it locked onto the Blade Liger's position.   
  
"That's my cue. Goodbye Raven."  
  
Reese shimmered out of sight.  
  
"Goodbye Reese…I…love you…" Raven whispered to no one.  
  
Shaking his head to clear such dangerous thoughts, Raven focused on the fast   
approaching Blade Liger ahead of him, grinning madly.  
~*~  
  
"There he is! Ready Fiona?"  
  
The zoidian nodded her head slightly, glancing back at the base.  
  
"Are you sure it was a good idea to leave Thomas behind?" she asked.  
  
"He would have gotten in the way. The DiBison isn't fast enough, and I don't want to   
have to keep an eye on him and fight Raven at the same time," Van replied. "Besides, we   
have to focu-AAARRGH."  
  
Van was interrupted by pulse cannon fire from ahead, shaking the cockpit and throwing   
him and Fiona against various controls painfully. Fiona cried out as she was thrown   
violently forward, colliding with Van's seat and knocking her unconcious.   
  
"Fiona!" Van exclaimed, quickly glancing behind him. Crazed laughter came over the   
intercom system, followed by a vid-screen window opening beside Van to reveal Raven's   
overly amused face. "Raven! When I'm through with you-"  
  
"Shut up Van." Raven interrupted calmly. "I have a question for you. How do you like   
my new Zoid? You ARE the first to face it in a real battle, after all. What should I call it?   
It's no longer a Geno-Breaker, now is it. How about the Geno-Beserker? No no no, I   
know. I'll call it the Berserk Fury. Yeah, that's it."  
  
"Berserk…Fury…?"  
  
"You like?" Raven grinned and set the footlocks for the Particle Beam Cannon. "It's a   
blue planet name meaning insane rage. I think it fits."  
  
"You're insane Raven."  
  
Van deployed his Liger's blades and charged the shield. The Liger bounded forward   
towards the newly christened Beserker Fury, energy run-off streaming out behind Van's   
unit.  
  
"Too late Van."  
  
Raven released the built up particle energies collected in the Berserk's gapping jaws, a   
blinding beam of purple-white charge shooting forth and connecting with the Blade   
Liger's shield. The blue zoid roared and opened its boosters, gaining more speed and   
momentum, closing the distance between it and its enemy in seconds. But the Particle   
cannon started to get the better of Van, Blade Liger's shield cracking under stress.  
  
"That stupid technique won't work again Van. The Berserk Fury has a cannon that's   
almost 4 times as powerful as the Geno-Breaker's!"  
  
"Fiona! Wake up! You gotta connect with Zeke! Tell him to get out of the Beam's line of   
fire!" yelled Van desperately, Fiona still dead to the world. "DAMMIT!"  
  
Van's eyes widened in fear as the shield finally gave, shattering into energy fragments.   
Van closed his eyes and slumped in his seat as the Beam closed around the Liger,   
blinding white light dancing in the cockpit.   
  
"I love you Fiona. I'm sorry," Van whispered, Raven's laughter echoing in his ears.  
  
"I know I once told Reese that I didn't care if you lived or died. Now I'm glad that you're   
gone, because quite frankly, you annoy me Van, and this proves once and for all that I   
am the better pilot"  
  
With one last scream of pain, all Van knew was darkness.  
  
  
~*~  
New Century – one week after the Royal Cup…  
"BIT CLOUD!! IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR SCRAWNY, COOKIE-STEALING ASS   
BACK HERE NOW YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO SIT STRAIGHT FOR A WEEK   
WHEN I'M THROUGH WITH YOU! SLOW DOWN YOU MORON!"  
  
"Ah, there they go again," sighed Jamie shaking his head as a Bit-like blur ran past him,   
followed by a very peeved looking Leena wielding what looked like a make-shift   
weapon.  
  
No one really paid much mind to the two psychotic zoid pilots, everyone suspected Bit   
had a death wish and Leena just wanted something to destroy now and then. Doc looked   
up from his models long enough to see his deranged daughter back Bit into a corner, the   
blonde pilot gibbering wildly as Leena towered over him with her nail-n-board raised and   
ready.  
  
"Well I think they really like each other," Doc said, oblivious to Bit's screams and pleas   
for help and Leena's mad laughter. Jamie just gave him a look, the 'my-god-it-runs-in-  
the-family' look, and went back to updating the zoid systems.  
~*~  
Meanwhile, outside the Blitz team base, a strange azure-haired woman cradling a child   
mysteriously appeared from nowhere.   
  
"Well Madra, by now your parents will be dead and Raven has had the Berserk Fury   
stored away for Vega, who's already found it in this time," Reese cooed to the gurgling   
child in her arms while walking up to the base's outdoor intercom. "And I have filled my   
end of the bargain."  
  
Reese pressed the intercom button, a chime going off inside the base, and carefully   
placed the child on the ground. "See you soon Madra," Reese grinned and disappeared as   
a very bruised Bit Cloud burst outside, skidding to a stop to greet the non-existent visitor.  
  
"I coulda sworn…" Bit trailed off as his confused gaze strayed to the blue bundle at his   
feet, soft coos and watery noises emitting from it. "What the hell…?"  
  
The blonde warrior bent down and gently picked up the squirming blanket, throwing back   
a fold to reveal a small, raven-haired baby girl looking intently up at him with bright,   
pink-red eyes. Startled, Bit almost dropped the infant and only out of reflex stopped   
himself, quizzically staring back at her, for once totally lost for words.  
  
"BIT CLOUD! WHERE IN GOD'S NAME ARE YOU?! I HAVEN'T FINISHED   
BEATING THE LIVING HELL OUT OF YOU FOR STEALING MY COOKIES!"   
roared Leena, leaping out the door and almost falling on her face when she saw what Bit   
was carefully cradling in his arms. "Uh, Bit? You're holding a baby."  
  
"Yeah, I know."  
  
"Where'd it come from?"  
  
"I dunno."  
  
Bit and Leena just stared at each other, then at the baby, then back at each other before   
yelling in unison.  
  
"DOC!!"  
~*~  
"So you're saying you found the baby outside near the intercom, and no one was in sight.   
Correct?" Doc asked, strangely understanding the combined babbling of Bit and Leena.   
The whole Blitz team had gathered in the common room following the two pilot's   
screaming. It was a surprise the baby hadn't started to cry yet with the excess noise.  
  
Both said pilots nodded.  
  
"Well I don't know what you two are so worried about," stated Brad coolly, reclining   
back on his chair. "We'll just take her to the nearest town and ask around. Someone's   
gotta know something about her."  
  
"But Brad, whoever the girl's parents are obviously didn't want her, and they came a   
long way to get rid of her 'cause the base is so far out of the way from anything," Jamie   
reasoned.   
  
Bit was still cradling the child, cooing at her softly to keep her calm. The entire team just   
turned in their seats and stared at him, dumbfounded.  
  
"What?" Bit asked defensively, noticing his team's sudden silence.  
  
"Nothing. Nothing at all," Leena replied, holding her hands up in mock surrender.   
"Anyway, Jamie's right-"  
  
"I am?!" Jamie exclaimed, taken aback. Leena glared at him.  
  
"As I was saying, Jamie's right. Someone did come a long way to get rid of the kid. And   
I know this might sound a little crazy-"  
  
"Oh come on, now you're just handing me comebacks."  
  
Leena smacked Bit upside the head.  
  
"The next person who interrupts won't live to see their next birthday, got it!"  
  
Everyone nodded, knowing full well the fiery red-head would carry out her threat to the   
letter.  
  
"Again, it might sound a little crazy, but what if we kept the girl? Raise her ourselves?"  
  
"That tears it. You want the straightjacket fitting for tomorrow or next Tuesday?"  
  
"Brad! I'm serious!"  
  
"So am I."  
  
"That doesn't sound like such a bad idea actually," Doc murmured thoughtfully to   
himself.  
  
"WHAT?!?" was the collective cry of Bit, Brad and Jamie, slack-jawed and wide-eyed.  
  
Doc grinned. " Then it's settled. The girl will stay with us."  
  
Leena crowed happily and the boys fainted.  
~*~  
A couple of hours later…The common room.  
  
"Alright then, what are we going to name her?" asked the recently revived Bit, tickling   
the child in Leena's arms. They had already attempted to guess the child's age, only   
coming to the conclusion that she was under 6 months old. "How about Chris?"  
  
"Chris? No way a child of mine is going to be named after one of those demented   
Taskers. Besides, she doesn't look like a Chris."  
  
"Your child? Hey, I found her!" exclaimed Bit.  
  
"And you said we should take her to town!"  
  
"That was Brad, you psycho!"  
  
"PSYCHO!? Why I oughta-"  
  
"Think of the baby!" yelled Jamie, interrupting Bit and Leena's argument before it came   
to blows. Both pilots stopped in mid-fight and stared at him.  
  
"How about Naomi?" said female voice coolly from the doorway as the Fluegal team's   
Naomi Fluegal and Leon Toros entered the room.   
  
"What are you two doing here?" asked Brad, perking up considerably with the self-  
proclaimed Red Comet's arrival.  
  
"Dad called us and started babbling on about a baby or something, so we came to check it   
out," Leon shrugged and gestured to Bit and Leena. "Don't tell me those two had a kid."  
  
"No, but they did just nominate themselves as the parents."  
  
"WHAT?!" Bit choked.  
  
"Hehehehe, cool! I get to be a mom!" giggled Leena.  
  
Everyone looked at Leena in absolute horror. 'Great, and no doubt she'll shape the kid   
into her own image,' thought everyone at the same time.   
  
Bit seemed to regain his composure. "Anyway, back to the subject at hand. Any half-  
decent ideas for names?"  
  
Leena was gazing at her 'daughter', now sleeping soundly in her arms while the others   
discussed possible names, when a soft breath of wind passed caressed her cheek,   
whispering what sounded like 'Madra', before disappearing as quickly as it came.  
  
"Madra?" Leena repeated, confused, halting all conversation.  
  
Bit cocked his head to one side and looked at the sleeping child thoughtfully. "Madra   
huh? I like it. It's unique and seems to suit her."  
  
"Um, okkkk. We'll call her Madra Toros then," Leena replied absently, still thinking   
about the voice on the wind.  
  
"Cloud, you mean. She's my daughter too," Bit corrected.  
  
"Big deal. Toros."  
  
"Whaddaya mean 'big deal'!? Cloud!"  
  
"Toros!"  
  
"Cloud!"  
  
"TOROS-CLOUD! MADRA TOROS-CLOUD! NOW PLEASE YOU TWO!" screamed   
Doc before putting his head in his hands, muttering something about arsenic in a certain   
couple of pilot's meals. Everyone else sweatdropped.  
~*~  
6 months later, day of the first Class S battles…  
  
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN'T FIGHT FOR A WHILE!?" roared Leena, obviously   
cheesed of at the news her father just delivered. Doc looked unfazed by his daughter's   
outburst.  
  
"Leena, honey, just relax. Someone's gotta look after Madra while the team is battling,   
and who better than her mother?" Doc replied calmly gesturing to the little one in   
Leena's arms.  
  
"Why not Bit?! Or Jamie?! EVEN BRAD WOULD DO!" the Gun-Sniper pilot whined.  
  
"Because Bit has the Liger Zero and pulls off most of our victories, Jamie would need to   
look after the instruments even if he wasn't battling, and Brad disappeared earlier this   
morning," Doc counted off on his fingers.  
  
"Man, this sucks, I don't even get to battle anymore."  
  
Bit chose this moment to enter the room and start crowing about their first battle,   
oblivious to the glares he was receiving from Leena and the following punch.  
  
"YOW! Leena! What was that for?!" exclaimed Bit, cradling his now throbbing shoulder.  
  
"Just for being you," growled the red-head, stalking off to the zoid hangar with Madra.  
  
Bit looked at Doc, confused. Doc just shrugged and went back to whatever he was doing.  
~*~  
"Stupid Bit with his stupid Liger and stupid lucky freakin' streak," muttered Leena to her   
'daughter' as she jumped into her Gun-Sniper, bringing the unit to life with a few deft   
keyboard strokes. Madra gurgled from Leena's arms, reaching out to the brightly   
coloured lights on the control panel. "Alright Madra, can you say 'Gun-Sniper'?"  
  
"Gum-Shnipper," repeated the girl. Leena laughed to herself.  
  
"How about 'Bit is a fool'?"   
  
"Daddy."  
  
Leena raised an eyebrow at that. "What did you say?"  
  
"Bit, Daddy." Madra pointed a small finger at Leena. "Mommy."  
  
"Oh, Madra. We're not your real parents. But you probably can't understand that," Leena   
sighed and smiled at the girl, tousling her dark brown hair playfully as Madra pouted at   
her. 'Boy, when she gets older she is definitely gonna start asking questions. Like why   
she doesn't look like anything like me or Bit.'   
  
"How about I start teaching you about Zoids? That way I won't have to look after you so   
much when you start battling when you're older."  
  
Madra grinned up at her, pink-red eyes sparkling.  
~*~  
The Berserk Fury stood over the three fallen Zabor Fangs, the two tri-blades[3] still   
whirring from the sweeping charged Particle Beam that had easily taken out the Tiger   
team in one shot.  
  
"Battle over. Battle over. The winner is the Fury team!" announced the judge.  
  
"Sarah, Class A is getting boring! These teams aren't a challenge anymore," Nine year   
old Vega Obscura whined over the communicator. (A/N Yeah, he's nine. My fic, deal   
with it. It'll fit in later, I swear (^_^))  
  
"Vega, the next Royal Cup isn't for a few years. You'll just have to wait until then,"   
Sarah patiently replied, running her hand through her dark blue hair.. 'He's Raven's son   
alright. Always wanting a better opponent. God, he even looks like Raven. Same longish   
dark hair, same mysterious eyes. Even his uniform is kind of the same.'  
  
"Bring the Fury back home now, we'll run a diagnostic and upgrade."  
  
"Cool!" cheered Vega, turning the dinosaur-like Ultimate X around and heading back to   
the recently vacated Backdraft base.  
  
Sarah turned off the communicator and smiled, a very Reese-like chesire-cat smile. Her   
blue organoid stepped out of the shadows and growled.   
  
"Van's child is only an infant, and already I can feel her learning more and more about   
Zoids everyday. But Vega will be ready when Madra learns what her parents are no doubt   
going to be keeping from her. It should be a very interesting battle, eh Specular?"   
  
Specular growled her agreement, and Sarah-Reese smiled at the monitor in front of her.  
~*~  
YAY YAY YAY!! First chapter is fiiiiiiiiinished!! And thanks to summer holidays, I   
have two months free and chapter 2 will be up next Thursday…hopefully…  
  
Next Chapter: Madra is six and has her first run in with Jack Sisco, that bastard, and   
meets Vega Obscura for the first time. Yet both Vega and Madra are still blissfully   
ignorant of their heritage and parent's vows that the battle will end with them. Will   
friendship emerge at their young age? Or will they realize that they are destined to try to   
kill each other.  
  
Now to explain a few things:  
  
[1] Remember that episode in the second CC series when Dr. D was poking around some   
ancient Zoidian ruins at the bottom of a lake? Van saved Reese's life when the lake   
started to refill after she had tried to kill him. That's the bargain, Van saved Reese's life,   
so Reese saves the life of his daughter. But you already figured that out, didn't you.  
  
[2] A lot of you are probably going to flame me about Reese's time-travel ability. Let me   
put it this way; she can see into the future and shimmer around to different places in the   
shows. Why can't she combine the two?  
  
[3] Yeah, you know what I mean, the Berserk Fury's spinning things on its shoulders. If   
someone can tell me what they're really called, I'll make the adjustment.  
  
Well, Review please! And to those who are thinking about flaming, just remember, you   
read the fic by your own will. I did not hold a gun to your head and force you to read it,   
so you have no basis for moronic flames. Constructive criticism is accepted.   
  
Peace out guys  
Mandz 


	2. Jack Sisco

Legacy  
  
By Mandz  
  
I am so TOTALLY sorry about the wait! I know I promised I would have it out ages ago, but the holidays were just too much fun and then school started so I pretty much forgot * sweatdrops *. Buuuuuut, I've had a sudden inspiration to write so I've finished all the way up to halfway through chapter five! * cheers * So enjoy this chapter!!  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing! Nothing I say! Except for Madra, and the storyline...so I guess I actually DO own something...uh... * runs away *  
  
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"Mommy mommy mommy mommy mommy..."  
  
"What Madra?" Leena sighed, looking up from her position under the Gun Sniper's control panel. Madra, now 6 years old, bounced around in the pilot's seat, obviously on a sugar high. The redheaded pilot mentally slapped herself for telling Madra where her cookie supply was.  
  
"Can I go into town with Aunt Naomi and Uncle Brad? Pleeeeeeeease?" pleaded the young girl, instantly switching on the cuteness factor and giving her 'mother' the puppy-dog eyes.  
  
Leena raised an eyebrow. "Well...I don't know...Why?"  
  
"I wanna beat people on the simulator again! They look so funny when they come out," giggled Madra.  
  
"Be nice Madra," Leena chastised, startlingly herself at now...motherly she had become to the orphan over the last 6 years. She gave the girl a quick wink. "They can't help it if you've been taught how to pilot by a real warrior."  
Both girls burst out laughing just as Bit Cloud entered the hangar, heading towards the Liger Zero. Madra abruptly stopped her giggling fit, leapt down from the heavily armed zoid, and launched herself into the blonde warrior's arms.  
  
"Daddy!"  
  
"Woah! Hey kid, what's all the attention for?" Bit grinned, mouthing to Leena, 'Is she on a sugar high?' over the little girl's head. Leena just nodded and shrugged, following Madra's route down her zoid.   
  
"Alright Madra, go on, Naomi and Brad are probably waiting."  
  
"Thank you Mom!" the raven-haired girl quickly babbled before detaching herself from Bit and zooming out of the hangar before either pilot could blink.  
  
"Well, that was...interesting," Bit said, scratching his head and staring after the six year-old.   
  
"Oh c'mon, she adores you. I've heard her bragging about her 'daddy' in town to the other kids. She even had her hair cut like yours, for crying out loud!" Leena laughed, lightly punching Bit in the shoulder. Bit growled playfully and caught Leena in his arms, kissing her lightly.  
  
"Mmm, and what's this I hear about using the Liger for lessons?"  
  
"Oh, that. It's not my fault Madra loves the Liger. And if it's not the Liger it'd be the Shadowfox, and you remember what happened last time," Leena countered.   
How could they forget? Leena had taken Madra for one of their zoid lessons in the Fox, and the young girl had accidentally set off the smoke screen inside the base, effectively setting off all the sprinkler systems in the base and drenching everything. The Blitz team couldn't get rid of the wet-dog smell for weeks.   
  
Bit laughed at the memory, then grinned suggestively. "Did you know we're all alone in the base?"  
Leena returned the grin. "Reeeeeally? Where is everyone?"  
  
"Well, Madra's with Naomi and Brad, and Jamie and Doc went out for parts, so..."  
  
Bit didn't get a chance to finish as Leena suddenly began pulling him towards the room they shared.  
  
~*~  
  
"You sure you're gonna be alright kid?" Brad asked the impatient pink-eyed girl in front of him.  
"Yes! I'll be fine! I promise!" Madra practically yelled, moving from foot-to-foot.  
"Remember, we'll only be at the ZBC to get some forms sorted out," she glanced at Brad, her was smiling slightly. "And then we'll meet you at the zoid parts shop."  
  
Madra rolled her eyes at them, she hated how everyone was so protective of her. "Ok ok, can I go now?! PLEASE?!"  
"Kick their asses kid."  
"Brad!"  
"Bye!" Madra said, bounding towards the zoid-battle simulators.  
  
~*~  
  
"Wow! Two warriors duking it out in a simulation!"  
"This is so cool! Is that Jack Sisco?"  
"Yeah, he's in one of the top Class S teams now. Hey, the Obscura kid's in there too!"  
"Vega? This is awesome!"  
  
Madra pushed through the mummering crowd that had gathered around the simulation monitors and jumped into one of the spare 'cockpits'. She signed in under her screen name and giggled when the crowd outside reacted.  
  
"Crimson? Crimson's in there too? I heard she beat the entire Fuzzy Panda's team last time she was here!"  
"It's TIGERS!" someone whimpered in the crowd.  
"That's nothing, she beat the Class S Taskers the time before that! Granted, it was a pretty close match after they ganged up on her, but she still won!"  
"Who is she?"  
"I dunno, but anyone with that sorta skill isn't someone I want to mess with."  
"Amen to that buddy."  
  
The young girl squirmed in her seat in excitement, impatient for the simulation to load. She had decided to fight with her uncle Leon's zoid-type, a Blade Liger, one of the particularly difficult zoids to operate, but it was one of her favourites.  
The surround screen flickered to life around her and Madra grabbed the hand controls and immediately sought out her opponents.  
  
2 minutes and three downed zoids later, Madra was still on the search for Vega and Jack in the huge simulated environment.  
'They aren't into making this easy for me, are they,' she thought, paying close attention to her speakers for sounds of battle. The crushing of foliage caused her to unconsciously grip her controls tighter, tensing when a Lightning Saix burst out of the forest on Madra's left, peppering fire over the zoid. On reflex, Madra deployed her blades, read Sisco's movements and countered his charge with a quick sidestep and boost forward, effectively taking him out of the battle. Jack's simulated zoid faded from the screen amid cheers and gasps from the ever-growing crowd outside.  
  
It wasn't long until Vega's Genosaurer appeared from nowhere, the ensuring fight ending in a stalemate with the Liger's blades poised at the dinosaur-like Zoid's throat as it was charging a Particle Beam aimed straight at it.  
The simulation shut down, and Madra slipped away inconspicuously as the crowds gathered around Vega and Jack. Quickly, she glanced over her shoulder, only to see the other two pilots had somehow managed to escape the masses also.  
  
~*~  
  
"A kid? The legendary Crimson's a kid?" questioned a deep, husky voice from behind her, making her jump and spin around. Madra didn't notice that Jack had been tailing her.  
"I'm a pilot, not a kid!" she stated defiantly, standing up straight and looking Jack in the eyes.   
'What kind of kid has red eyes?' he thought, flinching a little. "Fine, pilot, what's your name then?"  
Madra looked at him smugly. "I'm Madra Toros-Cloud," she announced proudly, hands on her hips and chin up.  
"Bit and Leena's kid? Didn't know they got married, let alone had a kid."  
"Married?" Madra lost some of her confidence to a look of confusion.  
"They're not married?" Jack smirked. "That makes you a bastard, kid."  
"There is a bastard here, Mr. Sisco, but it is not this little girl," a youth with longish dark hair and amethyst eyes stated from behind the Saix pilot. "I can't believe you would stoop so low as to insult a child. You truly are pathetic."  
"Stay out of this, Obscura," Sisco growled over his shoulder.  
"Or what? You'll throw your weird-ass headband at me?" 15 year-old Vega shot back. Madra giggled, bringing Jack's attention back on her.  
"I'm not finished with you," he sneered.  
"Oh but I think you are, Jack-ass, unless you want to tell the Tasker's you were beaten by a little girl," Vega smirked, watching Jack pale, and with a final glare at both of them, stalk off. Madra blew a raspberry at his retreating back and both children burst out laughing.  
  
A few minutes later they had calmed down enough to wipe the tears from their eyes. Vega offered his hand to Madra.  
"I'm Vega Obscura."  
Madra grinned and shook his hand. "I'm Madra. Man, I'd never thought I'd meet the famous Fury pilot! This is so cool!"  
Vega laughed. "I don't pilot that much anymore, but I'm thinking about getting back into Class A battles. What about you? You're pretty good for a kid."  
Madra blushed. "You were too, from what daddy told me anyway," She grinned. "Mommy teaches me how to pilot, and sometimes Uncle Leon and Uncle Brad do too."  
"Really?" 'If that's how Leon teaches her how to use a Blade Liger, I better watch myself against the Fluegal side this season,' Vega thought.  
A small beeping noise sounded from Madra's wrist. She glanced at her watch. "Oh man! I hafta go Mr. Obscura! I hafta meet Brad and Naomi at the zoid shop!" she exclaimed, worried. "Thanks for the battle! Bye!" She ran off in the direction of 'Monty's Parts Shop'.  
"Call me Vega!" the young man called after her, smiling. She gave him a thumbs up and upped her pace. Vega chuckled softly and ran a hand through his raven hair, and headed back to the simulators for a bit of practice.  
  
~*~  
  
Madra skidded to a stop in front of Monty's, hoping Brad and Naomi weren't there yet. Luckily, they seemed to be in a good mood.  
  
"Took your time kid," Brad drawled, leaning against the wall. "Have fun?"   
"Yup! I beat Jack Sisco and drawed with Vega!" Madra replied happily.  
Naomi laughed, ruffling Madra's short hair. "Jack can't be happy."  
The young girl shook her head. "He wasn't. Aunt Naomi? What's a bastard?"  
Naomi did a double take and even Brad looked surprised at Madra's question.  
"Who told you that?" Naomi demanded. Madra bit her lip.   
"Mr. Sisco called me that when he asked if Mommy and Daddy were married. Is it bad?"  
"No, of course not, " Brad lied, trying to contain his anger toward the Saix pilot.  
"Just forget about it, ok Madra? Let's go and see if my Sniper's ready," added Naomi tightly, muttering curses at Sisco under her breath as she walked inside.  
Madra grinned, already forgetting the incident as she and Brad followed the Red Comet.  
  
~*~  
  
Madra wandered among the vast assortment of zoids, concentrating on remembering each type and special moves. It was something her dad taught her, to help form battle strategies on the spot.  
Se didn't notice she had entered a storeroom, about as big as the Toros' hangar. Zoid parts littered the area, half-disassembled units lined the walls. Light glinting off something in the back corner drew her attention away from the DiBison she was looking at, and she crept slowly towards it.  
She gasped. There in front of her was a beautiful sky-blue Blade Liger, its gold-coloured highlights reflecting the afternoon sun streaming through a high window. Madra stood in awe. Her uncle Leon's Liger couldn't compare to this. She tentatively reached out and stroked one of its foreclaws.  
  
A white flash. A scream of pain. Maniacal laughter. A blue Blade Liger thrown into the air as a spiral of energy slammed into it. Armor plating ripped apart. A giant white beast with whirring blades amid the smoke.  
  
"Madra!"  
Madra was slammed back into the present, snatching her hand away from the zoid as if it had burned her. Brad and Naomi came to stand beside her, glancing worriedly at the unreadable expression on the young girl's face. The storeowner, Monty, walked up behind them, wiping his hands on an old rag.  
"Why isn't this Zoid in the store?" Madra whispered absently to him, not turning around.  
"No one can pilot this one for some strange reason, kid. It just won't let them. And it's too good to be junked, so we leave it back here. Who knows, someone might like it as a collector's piece," He replied, shrugging.  
"Oh."  
"You okay kid? You don't look so good," Brad asked, concerned with Madra's sudden silence.  
"Hmm,?" She turned to look at him, suddenly shaking he head a few times. "I'm fine."   
"Alright, let's head back then."  
Brad and Naomi started to walk out of the storeroom, chatting with the owner. Madra hesitated a second, staring at the Liger, before running to catch up with the three adults.  
  
~*~  
  
"What?! That's not possible!" Thomas Shubaltz exclaimed, slamming his fist on the table. "They can't be dead! I refuse to believe that!"  
"I'm sorry sir. We have confirmed reports of the totaled Blade Liger and the bodies of both Van and Fiona Flyheight."  
"No," Thomas whispered, closing his eyes. The message bearer quietly placed a sealed envelope on the desk and left the room, sensing the lieutenant's need for solitude.   
The blonde warrior slowly opened his emotion-filled eyes and sat down, picking up the envelope the messenger left behind and twirling it in his fingers, deep in thought. Sighing, he ripped it open and looked at the contents, seeing but not comprehending.  
  
Dear Thomas,  
Since you're reading this, it means that both Fiona and myself are not coming back. Don't worry, our daughter is in good hands now.  
  
'You hope. God knows I trust Reese about as far as I can throw her,' he thought bitterly.  
  
There is something very important I need you to do. It may sound a bit weird, but please trust me on this. You must have the Liger rebuilt and stored away. No one must find it for a very long time. It's Madra's only hope.  
Raven has a son, Thomas. Reese has taken him and Madra to the future where she'll be safe for a while. Whatever zoid Raven has is being stored away for the boy, and if it's anything like the Geno-Breaker then Madra is in serious trouble. She has to be prepared, and this is the only way I know how to protect her. Also give her my GF necklace, enclosed with this letter.  
I'm sorry to do this to you Thomas. Don't worry about us. We're free now.  
  
Thank you, my friend.  
Van Flyheight.  
  
Thomas tipped the envelope upside down, watching the thin silver chain and Guardian Force tag pool on the desk. A grim determination crossed his face as he grabbed the communicator.  
  
"I hope you know what you're doing Van," he whispered, before contacting with the repair bays.   
  
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OMG!! I had so much fun with that chapter!!! * grins * Yes yes, Jack is a bitch. I really hate the guy for some strange reason * ponders and shrugs *   
  
Anyway kiddies, the word for today is REVIEW! Manda loves 'em! And it makes me get off my lazy ass and type up the next chapter!   
And sanchyuu to the lovely people that did review the last chapter. The Sarah-Reese look alike (or lack thereof) thing will be explained!! But not for a few chapters!! * dodges Teletubbie tapes thrown by readers *   
  
See ya's in about a week!  
  
Peace out.  
Mandz 


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